Thursday, August 25, 2011

Israel's Extremist Right's Alliance with Evangelist Lunacy

The Israeli paper, Haaretz, isn't pulling any punches in denouncing the despicable way the Netanyahu government cozies up to radical Christian evangelists of the ilk of Glenn Beck:

In recent years the extreme Israeli right has developed an alliance with the heads of the evangelical movement, who define themselves as Christian Zionists. National religious rabbis and politicians connect with these preachers, including those who spread the belief in the need for another Holocaust of the Jews in order to ensure the resurrection of Jesus. These rabbis and politicians accept donations from these preachers. It is mystifying that people from Israel's ruling party, Likud, foremost among them Vice Prime Minister Moshe Ya'alon and World Likud Chairman Danny Danon, have joined the circle of Beck's fans. So has Atzmaut MK Einat Wilf.

One might have expected the government and police to prohibit the East Jerusalem Development Corporation (a government-municipal company ) from making available the archaeological park near the Al-Aqsa Mosque and Silwan neighborhood for the fulminations of extreme rightists. These are unnecessary and harmful fulminations that testify to Netanyahu's distorted priorities.

It was just a few weeks ago that the government denied dozens of peace activists entry into Israel; they wanted to demonstrate nonviolently their support for the Palestinians' struggle for independence. At the time, it was claimed that this was a "provocation." The "support event" in Jerusalem was no less provocative.

But, for all its sincerity, the editorial is really just pissing into the wind. Harper wasted no time giving your government, the Canadian government's blessing to the marriage of Christian Evangelical and Israeli Zionist extremists when he presided over the creation of the Canadian arm of the International Israeli Allies Caucus Foundation in 2007, just six months following its American debut.

If you want to learn more about the IIACF to help understand how it shapes Canadian policy in the Middle East, you can begin at its web site here.